Bottle holder and protector



April 1939- I A. RATHEMACHER 2,154,772

BOTTLE HOLDER AND PROTECTOR Filed Jan. 30, 1937 INVENTOR Patented Apr. 18, 1939 UNITED STATES lATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a thermal insulating covering for bottled goods which is also adapted to serve as a holder for the bottle while displaying and pouring the same, and has for its object to provide a simple and inexpensive yet convenient thermal insulating covering for these purposes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a covering of this type which is adapted to facilitate handling of bottled drinks such as champagne in order that their handling and pouring may be made an attractive ceremonial without having to use a table napkin as is now done.

Referring to the drawing- Fig. 1 shows a plan view of one embodiment of this invention.

Fig. 2 illustrates the device of Fig. 1 applied over the neck of a bottle while in an ice bucket.

Fig. 3 shows how the device of Fig. 1 is arranged while the goods are being displayed.

Fig. 4 shows the device of Fig. 1 wrapped around the bottle during pouring.

The flexible fabric, preferably white and simulating the appearance of a table napkin as to material, is provided with a perforation H arranged near a non-circumferential edge of the substantially semi-circular fabric illustrated. This perforate portion ll may be entirely enclosed as illustrated or it may be only partially enclosed. Preferably all edges of the fabric are hemmed or otherwise appropriately finished as indicated by the numeral l2 and the same finishing is applied to the edges of the perforation H The thermal insulating fabric I is adapted. to be used in the service of champagne, for example, when it may be laid over the top of an ice bucket H with the neck l3 of a bottle extending through the perforation H, the fabric serving to keep the heat of a room from melting the ice within the bucket l4.

When desiring to serve the bottled drink the Waiter grasps the neck I 3 of the bottle in one hand, preferably the right hand, as shown in Fig. 3 and lifts it out of the ice bucket, at the same time lifting off the insulating fabric covering 10.

In presenting the bottle of champagne or other drink for display to the patron or consumer the waiter places his other hand, that is the left hand l6, under the body of the bottle and raises it into an inclined or nearly horizontal position so that the patron may inspect the label I 1 on the bottle.

At this time the fabric covering I0 is gracefully draped in folds l8 on each side of the bottle while the midportion of the fabric serves to protect the waiters hand I 6 from contact with the chilled bottle. In this presentation of the bottle for inspection the fabric covering is shaped to more gracefully fit the bottle than can the ordinary table napkin when used for a similar purpose.

After the patron has approved of the bottled goods submitted to him for his inspection, the waiter then wraps the fabric covering Ill around the bottle as shown in Fig. 4 so that the Wrapping material I9 may serve as a convenient protection for the bottle during pouring.

Among the advantages of this invention may be mentioned the fact that the covering I0 is 10 shaped to more conveniently and gracefully adapt itself to the bottle and its intended purpose than can a table napkin. This fabric covering serves to protect the ice in the bucket l4 while allowing the bottle neck to project through the cover. Grasping the bottle neck and withdrawing the bottle causes the fabric cover I ll to be also withdrawn because it is held by the enlarged neck or body of the bottle.

So far as is known no covering or thermal insulating material has heretofore been shaped in a manner adapting it so readily for all three of the uses illustrated by Figs. 2, 3 and 4. This bottle holder prevents the waiters or servers hands from becoming wet and also prevents condensed moisture or other liquid from dripping from the Wet bottle on to the table cloth or the clothes of the persons being served.

I claim:

A bottle having around its neck a holder comprising a flexible sheet of fabric, said sheet being of generally semi-circular shape along an edge portion and generally straight around another edge portion connecting the ends of the first mentioned edge portion, said sheet being provided with a perforation inward of but close to said generally straight edge at about the central portion thereof, the material around the edges of said sheet and the perforation being finished to prevent the sheet edges from unraveling and becoming ragged with use, the perforation being of a size sufiiicient to enable only the neck of a bottle to extend therethrough whereby said sheet may be attached to a bottle around its neck and be draped around the sides and back of a bottle throughout at least the major portion of the length of a bottle and yet at the same time leave the front or label portion of the bottle exposed to view without the necessity of raising or folding thesheet transversely of the bottle as might otherwise be necessary if said perforation were not located close to said generally straight edge, and said sheet fitting around the bottle neck to prevent any moisture on the outside of the bottle from running down the outside of the neck and falling off during pouring.

AUGUST RATI-IEMACHER. 

